Perhaps it's because of women's hard won reputation as excellent multitaskers. Or perhaps its because we all panic that if we don't put in our two cents instantly, we'll be ignored. But whatever the reason, too many of us have gotten into the nasty habit of being "overly responsive." As soon as our Blackberrys vibrate or we hear the ping of a new email arriving in our … [Read more...]
How Many Hours A Day Can You Be Productive?
I once had a boss who would walk around the office at 5:05 to see who was sitting at their desk and who had already left for the day. He said that if you were able to leave at 5 every day, you didn't care about your job. So, we all sat around for an extra hour a day twiddling our thumbs so as not to arouse his suspicion. Sure, some days we had plenty of work to carry us to … [Read more...]
Career Moves: Thinking About What Your Next Steps Should Be
In my last post, I talked about ways to make sure that you didn't get a pink slip in today's difficult economy. I mentioned things like not rushing out the door the instant the clock struck five and making sure you keep a positive attitude, all of which are some of the "no-brainers" that many of us forget about over time as we get comfortable in a job. But one commenter … [Read more...]
Five Ways to Avoid a Pink Slip in the Recession
No one is going to deny the economic gloom and doom filling the news each night. As unemployment soars close to 10% and more and more companies announce that they will be downsizing, it's time to take a hard look at yourself and make sure that your name isn't on the list if your company needs to let people go. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 1. Check your … [Read more...]
Is Your Sense of Loyalty Actually Hurting Your Career?
If there’s anything that this economic downturn has taught us, it’s that the only person looking out for you is you. In this era of mass layoffs, slashed benefits and mandatory work “furloughs,” we’re all learning quickly that years of loyalty aren’t worth much in a recession. I think that this mindset can sometimes be more difficult for women to get used to than men. … [Read more...]